Combined car coupler and buffer



(No Model.)

OBBOWNING.

COMBINED GAR UOUIPLER AND BUFFER. No. 295,482. Patented Mar. 18, 1884.

7 [$111] IIIIJ -4.

Shousetown, in the county Unrrnn mares Arena rricn.

CLINTON BROWNING, OF SHOUSETOWN, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES H. LINDSAY,

TRUSTEE, OF ALLEGHENY CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBI NED CAR COUPLER AND BUFFER.

P EGIFIGA'II ON forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,482, dated March18, 1884.

Application filed January 3, 1884. (No model'.)

To aZZ whom, it 777/(I/Z/ concern:

Be it known that I, GLiNroN BROWNING, of

State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in aCombined Coupler and Buffer; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccom panying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to the couplers and buffers employed onrailroad-cars to connect the cars and to prevent the jarring and unevenmovement of the cars connected, its special object being to providesimple and efficient means for maintaining the pressure between thefaces of the buffers when the couplers are drawn forward bydraft-strain.

The couplers and buffers generally employed on cars are separate, andwhen the longitudinal or draft strain is sufficiently heavy to compressthe draw-baror draft'springs so that the cars are parted, itis evidentthat the pressure of, the buffers is decreased, an d they are thereforerendered less efficient. A combined buffer and coupler has also beenformed in v which an ordinary Miller draw-bar and a buffer-bar have beensupported in the same casting, the buffer and draw bar springs fittingin recesses therein, and a cotter or pin passing through the casting anddraw-bar back of the springs, the apparatusso operating that the buffercould act independently when pressed back, but that any draft-strain onthe drawbar would draw forward the cotter and maintain the pressurebetween the buffers. This apparatus, as constructed, was not applicableto the ordinary couplers and buffers employed on passenger-cars, as itnecessitated a change in the construction and supporting of the parts.In backing, also, the entire strain came upon the buffer-spring, and,did not and could not assist it in bearing such strain.

The object of my invention is, by the addition of a single part, to soconstruct the ordinary coupler and buffer now in general use that. theyact separately in sustaining backward or rearward strain, though theyassist each other in sustaining such strain, while of Allegheny and theyact together in sustaining heavy forward or draft strain, and thepressure of the buffers is maintained,- even though the cars aredrawnapart.

It, consists, essentia1ly,in combining with the draw-head and buffingapparatus a standard or frame carrying the resistanceplate of thebuffing apparatus, and extending down therefrom to and so supported onand connected with the draw-head as to permit the independent movementof the neck of the draw-head in backing, but to be drawn forward by thedraw-head upon such draft-strain as causes a movement thereof in itsbearings or supports, so that the resistance-plate is moved forward withthe draw-head, and thus compresses the spring the same distance as thebuffers are permitted to move on the parting of the cars, thebuffer-spring thus acting also as draftsprings.

It also consists in certain improvements in the construction of thisstandard or frame, and

its connection with the draw-head and buffer apparatus.

It also consists in certain improvements in the coupling and itsconnections with the platform-lever of the car. r a To enable othersskilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe thesame more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 represents a side view. of my com bined coupler and buffer, onelongitudinal beam being removed to show more clearly the parts thereof.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section thereof, showing the parts inperspective. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the draw-head. Fig. 4 isa perspective View of the connecting-standard between the coupler andbuffer. Fig. 5 is a side view of another form of my improved apparatus;and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectionthereof on the lineman, Fig. 5.

Like letters of reference indicate like in each.

The apparatus is illustrated in connection with the car-couplingapparatus and buffer apparatus shown in the several patents granted tome March 6, 1883, Nos. 27 3,343, 273, 664, and 273,665, being especiallyarranged for employpartsment with such apparatus, though the connectingapparatus is applicable to different constructions of coupling andbuffers by means well known to the skilled mechanic. The coupling isformed of the bifurcated drawheads, each having the jaws a a, and havingthe interlockinglever b, journaled at the forward end of the enteringjaw a, and operated by the arm b, ex tending back within the couplingandconnecting with the rod or bar I)", by

which it is drawn aside or uncoupled, these parts beingsubstantiall ythesame as shown and described in said Letters Patent No. 273,343. Thebuffer apparatus is formed of the combined buffer and car platforms, or,as they are termed, buffer-platforms, 0, each pivoted to the buffer-bar(Z, which extends centrally throughout the transverse bearing 6 of thecar-platform, and has the shoulder d, around which bar the washer f andbuffer-springf are placed, the washer bearing against the shoulder (1,these parts being substantially the same in construction and operationas shown and -described in said Letters Patent No. 273,665. Thelongitudinal beams e of the car-platform extend back from the transversebeam 6, and secured thereto are the stop-brackets 9, said bracketshavinglips 9, against which the resistanceplateof the buffer apparatus fits,and by which the movement of said plateis limited,and the lips g alongthe base thereof, on which said resistance-plate rests and travels,ashereinafterdescribed. The resistance-platehis made part of the standardor frame In, and has a hole extending through it, through which thebuffer-bar (1 extends, being held therein by a key or nut. The standardor frame is is supported by means of the lips g on the brackets g. Aspreferably constructed, it is bifurcated or formed with two legs, 70',the bases of .which extend down, so as to rest on the top of the neck ofthe draw-head, and each leg is preferably provided with rings or eyes ZZ, fitting around the neck of the draw-head. The standard or frame 7c isthus hung in the brackets in such position that these rings or eyes Z Zhang in the exact course of the neck of the drawhead when it is insertedin its supports, so that the apparatus can be rapidly secured in placeon the car-body.

The bifurcated draw-head a, above referred to, is provided with the necka fiwhich is preferably made cylindrical, though it may be of otherform, the rings Z Z on the standard cor'respondingthereto.Thedraw-headissupported in the bracket 6 secured to the longitudinalbeams e, and extends through the rings Z Z of the standard It, and isprovided with the draw-bar m, which extends through the draft-spring mand draft-plates m supported in brackets on the longitudinal beams ofthe car-body, the said draft-springs being of the usual construction andtaking the draftstrainon the car. After the draw-head has been securedin place, the key a is inserted 7 through the neck thereof back of theforward ring, Z, so that when the draw-head is carried forward by thedraft-strain by means of this key it draws the standard It andresistanceplate h forward with it. thus compressing the bufferspring f.Theresistance-platehisshown as forming the backpressure plate for thebuf; fer-spring f; but it is evident that this plate may be extended outto either side where separate or side buffers with independentbuffersprings are employed, or may be the support for an equalizing bar.

In Figs. 6 and 7 another form of the apparatus is shown, the front legof the standard being provided with the T-head Z, fitting in thecorresponding slides on the top of the draw-head, and against a stop atthe back of said slides and the rear leg of the standard. having theshoe Z, resting on the top of said neck, this construction operating thesame way as the form shown in the other figures, as hereinafterdescribed. The draw head is substantially of the form in the patentsabove referred to; but, in order to obtain a more efficient spring toproject the interlocking lever b, I have provided the Uspring p, whichfits in the entering jaw of said drawhead around teats or lugs r, thelugs fitting in the bend of the springs, and one arm of said springbeing held against the side wall of the draw-head,while the otherpresses against the back of the interlocking lever and projects it,holding it out in its locking position. This form of spring is preferredby me over the flat spring secured to the operating-arm b of the ICOinterlocking lever, as shown in said Patents Nos. 273,343 and 273,664,for the reason that it occupies but little room, being arranged in theentering jaw out of the way of the operative parts, and the teats orlugs 0" supporting it may be cast in the draw-head and require nofinishing, and that it does away with the necessity of dressing orplaning the face on which the spring bears, as was required for thespring employed in said patents, the planing of said face beingdifficult, on account of its posit-ion onthe draw-head. The spring isalso less liable to lose its elasticity on account of the jarring orvibration of the cars. The said spring may either be formed of a fiatsteel band bent to shape or may be formed of wire rod, and, ifdesired,haveacoil therein. It can be easily inserted and secured in placethrough the opening in the draw-head, through which the rod or bar 1)works. The operating-arm b of the interlocking lever is operated onpassenger-cars by means of the lever s, which is pivoted within thecrossibeam e and extends up through the platform-railing t, beingconnected at the base with the rod b In order to lock the said;lever inposition, so that the carsv cannot be coupled or uncoupled except whensaid lever is moved, when desired, I have formed in the railing t, ateither end of the slot IIO loosely pivoted to the lever above therailing i and adapted to fall within the slot 15 and hold the leverwithin theshouldered space i of the railing. In order to withdraw thelever from said shoulder-space. it is necessary to raise the said blocka, when the lever can be drawn into the slot Z and drawn to the oppositeend thereof, and as soon as it. fits into said shoulder the pivot-blocka will fall by its own weight within said slot t and hold the leverwithin the shouldered space, so that it' cannot be moved except when itis desired to operate the coupling. As the lever is thus held at eitherone or the other end of the platform-railing, and the rod 11 is securedto the operating-arm b of the interlocking lever so that it moves withsaidlever, it is evident that when the interlocking lever is in itslocking position means must be provided to permit the lever to bepressed back wheat-he coupling is made. This I accomplish by forming atthe end of the red I) the slot 22, the end of the operating lever sbeing pivoted in this slot, as fully shown in Figs.

1, 2, and 4, and when pressure is brought against the interlocking leverthe said bar Z) moves back and forward with the operatingarm b, the endof the lever s sliding in said slot 12, and thus allowing the bar b toaccommodate itself to the movements of the interlocking lever.

The operation of my combined car coupler and bufferis as follows: WVhenthe cars come together in forming the coupling, as the faces of thebuffers meet, the buffers are pressed back before the draw-heads engage,and the buffer-springs f are thus compressed between the washers f andresistance-plates h, the resistance-plates being held from back-pressureby the stop-brackets g. The interlocking levers b of the draw-heads thenengage, the-levers pressing against each other and pressing each otherback until their faces pass, and, in case the cars come together withgreat force, the draw-heads are pressed back, the pressure coming uponthe draftsprings m, and the draw-heads sliding back through the rings Nof the standards is, so that the draw-heads thus act in taking thebuffingpressure independently of the buffers, the standards It hanging'in the brackets g, and remaining stationary.

At the same time the buffing-pressure also acts on the buffers, pressingthem back, so that in taking buffer-strains both the bufier and thedraw-heads act to prevent jar to the cars, though they act separatelyfor this purpose. WVhen the faces of the interlocking levers are pressedagainst each other, the pressure 'is communicated through the arms 11 tothe rods b and as the operating-levers s are held stationary in theplatformrails the slots 11 at the end of the rods b permit the said rodsto slide at the base of the operating-levers and accommodate themselvesto the movements of the interlocking levers, so that as soon as thefaces of the interlocking levers pass each other the springs pwill pressthem forward, and cause paratus.

them to engage, forming the coupling. In caseof draft-strain on thecoupling, when the strain is sufficient to cause the compression of thedraft-spring m, the key a, pressing against the ring Z of the standardis, draws the said standard and its resistance-plate h forward with thedraw-head, and this resistance-plate =thus compresses the buffenspringf, and-in thisway increases the pressure of the buffing apparatus to thesame extent as the bodies of the ears may be drawn apart on account ofthe heavy strain, so that instead of the pressure between the buffersbeing slaekened on account of the forward movement of the drawheads intheir supports, the pressure between the buffers is always maintainedthe same, the resistance-plate being moved forward in p'roportion to thedistance the car-bodies are drawn apart. It is therefore seen that thecoupling and buffing apparatus act independently in resisting buffingstrains or rearward pressure, but they each act in aid of the other, thedraft-springs taking the pressure upon the draw-head, and the movementof the resistance-plate being limited by the stop-brackets ,9, so. thatthe buffing strain on the buffer is sustained by said brackets, but thatthe buffing and coupling apparatus act together in resisting all draftstrains, and in case the forward or draft strain is sufficiently strongto part the cars the pressure between the buffers is maintained by theapparatus, so that all its advantage in sustaining side or other strainsare maintained, and at the same time, through the standardk, it aids insustaining the draft- 'pressure, thus acting as a draft-spring.

The apparatus is simple in construction, and the buffing and couplingapparatus are united, so as to cause joint action, as before described,by a single piece-the standard which carries forward theresistance-plate of the buffing ap- WVhen the cars are to be uncoupled,the operator simply throws the pivot-block u out of the slot 15 in therail 15, the block being generally thrown entirely over, so as to reston the end of the rail, and the operating-lever can then be drawn out ofthe shoulder-space t and carried to the opposite end of the rail, when,by pressing it into the shoulder-space at that end of the pivot-block,it will be drawn above the slot and fall therein, thus locking the leverin place. The interlocking lever is thus, through the rod b andoperating-arm b, drawn within the entering jaw a of the drawhead, sothat the interlocking lever in the opposite draw-head is free to passout of the recess between the jaws.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The combination, with the draw-head and butting apparatus supportedindependently above the same, and having the resistanceplate h,supported in the stop-brackets g, of the standard or frame It, carryingsaid resist- I ance-plate, and extending down therefrom, and soconnected with the neck of the draw-=head as to .permit the draw-head toslide back independently in buffing, but to be drawn forward with thedraw-head on draft-strain, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

2. The combination, with the draw-head and buffing apparatus supportedindependently above the same, and having the resistanceplate h, of thestandard or frame is, carrying said resistance-plate, and extending downtherefrom, and provided with the rings ZZ,

fitting around the neck of the draw-head, the

ing the jaws a a, and the interlocking lever 19, journaled in theentering jaw a, the bent or coiled spring 19, confined in said enteringjaw and pressing against said lever, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

5. The combination of the railing if, having the slot t and shoulderedspace i with the operating-lever s and pivoted block a, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination of a bifurcated drawhead, interlocking leverjournaled therein, having the arms b, operatingdever s, andconnecting-bar I)", having the slot 12, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said'GLINTON BROWNING, have hereunto set myhand.

CLINTON BROWNING.

Witnesses:

JAMEs I. KAY, J. N. (300111;.

